As a rule it is unwise to overplay the significance of one single weekend in the Ryder Cup qualifying process. Even when, as now, the spell in question offers the final opportunity for an alteration to the make-up of José María Olazábal's Europe team.

On this occasion, though, there are more issues surrounding the captain and his selections than could have been anticipated even in the recent past. Nicolas Colsaerts arrived at the Johnnie Walker Championship on a mission to clinch a top-two finish, and thereby ensure an automatic place in Olazábal's party for next month's event at Medinah. Colsaerts has made a decent fist of that, further endorsing his claim to be the first Belgian ever to turn out in a Ryder Cup. More pertinently, he would be the only rookie Ryder Cup player in European colours, whereas Davis Love III already has three confirmed debutants in the American ranks – Webb Simpson, Jason Dufner and Keegan Bradley.

Ian Poulter is regarded as a certainty to receive one of Olazábal's wild cards on Monday with Colsaerts the strong favourite to collect the other. But if Colsaerts were to claim an automatic berth, matters would take a turn towards the intriguing.

Colsaerts has the potential to displace Martin Kaymer, the former world No1 who lies 10th in the European qualification table. Kaymer's decision to give Gleneagles a miss – he had endured a heavy schedule and poor results up to and including the USPGA Championship – may yet prove costly.

Making a case for Kaymer's claim to a wild card would not prove particularly straightforward; the German has been badly out of form, missing three cuts out of six by the time his weekend at Kiawah Island was cut short. In the 27-year-old's defence, he at least formed part of the successful European team at Celtic Manor two years ago.

It is perfectly common for needle to prove an integral part of a meeting of Europe and the United States. The rarity is what has transpired in this instance; apparent antipathy between prominent European figures, namely Olazábal and Padraig Harrington.

Popular conjecture suggests an indifference from Olazábal towards the Irishman stems from a rules spat at the 2003 Seve Trophy. Golfers, needless to say, have long memories if their integrity is ever called into question by a fellow professional. At the USPGA, Olazábal was noticeably cold towards Harrington's hopes of playing in what would be a seventh Ryder Cup. To his credit, the Irishman shrugged off such sentiment to finish the season's last major in a tie for 18th place.

Olazábal inflicted an even more wounding blow on Harrington on Thursday. Harrington had carded an excellent 64 in the Barclays tournament at Bethpage to upstage Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods. When informed of this news, Europe's captain claimed Harrington would have to do "something extraordinary" or "at least" win on Long Island to earn a pick. It was a rather fierce transatlantic volley, if one partly endorsed by Harrington's struggles the following day.

It is of course Olazábal's earned prerogative to make whatever decisions and harbour whatever sentiment he likes but Harrington, a three-times major winner, is entitled to question publicly why he has been the subject of such a strong dismissal. For his part, Olazábal firmly disputes any suggestion of a personal grievance influencing his judgment; those with a knowledge of the Spaniard's character are inclined to take his word for it.

There is also the question of alternatives. Harrington has won a major in the United States, which should hand him an obvious advantage over others from left field who may come into Olazábal's equation; Miguel Angel Jiménez could have been in that category but has now been named as one of his compatriot's vice captains.

Beyond pointing to a personality issue, Olazábal's stance also highlights how his key decisions have been long-since made. Sergio García leapt from outside the European team to a guaranteed place with a win at last week's Wyndham Championship and, while that knocked Poulter out of the automatic reckoning, there would be general astonishment if the Englishman is not on the flight to Chicago.

Colsaerts is odds-on to join him. If that is confirmed on Sunday evening, then the announcement of Olazábal's full plan on Monday lunchtime will prove fascinating.